Hooked Up: Don’t be a hunting season statistic

Friday

Oct 18, 2013 at 11:24 PMOct 18, 2013 at 11:24 PM

Every year I hear a story about some unfortunate hunter being hurt, paralyzed or even killed from a fall from a tree stand. Hunting is a dangerous sport. It requires physical conditioning, agility and above all else, common sense.

Jim Kilchermann jr.jimkilchermann@yahoo.com

Every year I hear a story about some unfortunate hunter being hurt, paralyzed or even killed from a fall from a tree stand. Hunting is a dangerous sport. It requires physical conditioning, agility and above all else, common sense.

Sadly enough there are still those among us who think safety is for the other guy or the beginner. I have even listened in disbelief as a hunter joked about someone being “stupid enough” to need a safety strap while hunting. I asked him if he climbed to his stand with a loaded weapon or carried his hunting knife unsheathed in his pocket. He failed to see the humor in my questioning. I pointed out to this “sportsman” that most injuries are not the result of beginners but rather veteran hunters who failed to exercise safety precautions that they were well aware of.

So I was once again saddened this week as I was told a story about a life-long hunter who had fallen from his stand and would never walk again. I asked if he was wearing a safety harness and received a blank stare. “No, he’s been hunting for a long time,” was the answer to my question.

Safety harnesses are like seat belts in a vehicle. They should be worn by everyone, every time they enter a stand without exception. Tell a police officer who is citing you for a seat belt infraction that you have been driving for several years so you do not need to wear your safety belt and wait for the response you will get. Today’s safety harnesses are comfortable if worn correctly, but best of all they may save your life or save you from becoming seriously injured.

Tree stands are small, slippery at times and you typically enter or exit with little or no light. Bulky clothes, boots, mud and leaves create a perfect slip-and-fall condition. Add into this the excitement of a good shot or the anger over a missed opportunity and the margin for a critical error does not favor the hunter.

The next time you are in the woods ask yourself, if you were to become seriously hurt how long would you have to wait for help to arrive? Did you tell someone where you were hunting? Did you tell someone where you would be; however, for some reason on your way to your stand you decided to go somewhere else? Now how long would it take to find you? How long before anyone even started to look for you?

I know my wife Lori would not become concerned until many hours after dark. She would assume I was helping someone track an animal or I was tracking one of my own. Now imagine lying on the ground having just fallen 15 or 20 feet onto logs or rocks. Better yet, imagine hanging upside down with a foot or leg caught in the crotch of a tree and the weight of your body pulling the broken mess apart for hours. Or, you could simply wear a safety harness and prevent all of that.

I have heard all of the arguments about harnesses being worn and people still getting hurt. I say to you that they are not guarantees against harm, but rather insurance policies geared toward safer hunts. I have never known anyone who had fallen while wearing a harness to complain about the harness. The first goal of any ethical hunter is, or should be, to return home safely. Everything else is second. Returning home to your family and being able to enjoy hunting another day is the mark of a successful hunt. I enjoy the outdoor lifestyle and treasure my time in the hardwoods and swamps, but I enjoy walking and my life as it is even more. I would not trade one for the other.

Talk to your favorite sporting goods dealer about a safety harness. You can be fitted to a size and style that suits your particular type of hunting. Become educated on the proper way to wear them and to hook them to your tree. I have even gone so far as to set up a practice stand in my yard with friends around and have stepped off to simulate a fall. It is still a shock to fall and then it takes some work to get yourself out of that predicament. It is, however, easier to do it with the coaching of your buddies and listening to their suggestions than to experience it first hand alone in a dark woods. The harness will not save your life. It will, however, allow you to save yourself.

Remember that safety does not just happen it takes effort and training to remain safe. Practice life saving scenarios with friends and hunting buddies. Make plans on ways to address different critical situations. Always tell someone you trust where you are going and when to expect you back. Decide on what action to take if you fail to return on time. Plan safety into your hunt and your hunts will be much safer and enjoyable. Come home from your trip and be able to plan your next adventure because it’s a great outdoors.

Jim Kilchermann is an avid outdoorsman who practices safety and talks about it to all who will listen. Contact him at jimkilchermann@yahoo.com and share some stories or close calls. Until next time, stay out of the snags and keep all of your shots in the ten ring.